Dark Sins
by Poisonedtree
Summary: Finally out of Mystic Falls, Caroline thought she had her chance for a normal life - at least as normal as a young vampires life could be. But when those closest to Caroline start turning up dead, Caroline will have to embrace her true nature to save the only man who truly ever saw her.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

_Three Weeks From Now:_

Caroline welcomed the dull throb of her headache as she sat quietly, staring at the vacant seats across from her. Hell, even the painful burn of her skin, the feeling as if she was slowly being lit on fire from the inside out, was better than the numb nothingness she had grown accustomed to in the days following the funerals. Taking a shaky breath, Caroline finally surveyed the scene around her. The bite was making her weak, vulnerable, but she didn't care. She was dying, what difference did it make if it was now or later?

The airport was relatively quiet, a few passengers hurried along, faces down, focusing on their cell phones or simply staring straight ahead, consumed in their own little worlds. Caroline heard the low hum of a vacuum not far behind her. A small frail woman bent over the machine, moving methodically back and forth, _back and forth, back and forth._

Caroline watched the events around her unfold and was struck with a strange sense of jealousy at the normal lives everyday humans led. They didn't worry about death and darkness at every turn. They weren't followed continually by a trail of blood that snaked its way into every aspect of their lives. No, they were simply normal. And for the first time in her life, Caroline felt a twinge of pain at the realization that her life would never be normal or safe.

A sharp pain in her chest interrupted Caroline's thoughts. Clutching wildly at the gnawing sensation in her chest, Caroline struggled to keep her breath low and even. "That's it, Caroline, That's it." Caroline told herself in a voice that sounded more like a mother soothing a crying child than her own.

"Miss are you alright?"

Caroline struggled to focus on the figure in front of her, it seemed her vision was getting more and more blurry with every breath she took.

"Miss?" The woman's tone took on a more desperate pitch.

Keep it together, Caroline told herself.

"Yes, I'm fine, just a migraine. Poor timing huh?" Caroline managed to spit out. wincing as the last words rolled off her tongue.

"Oh you poor thing," the woman said, voice practically dripping with sympathy.

Caroline just nodded, avoiding any eye contact.

"The plane is boarding now, would you like some help?" The woman offered.

Caroline got the vague impression that the woman wouldn't take no for an answer. And well, honestly, she wasn't exactly in the position to be turning down help.

"Sure, thing" Caroline replied, plastering a small smile on her face.

After what felt like an eternity, Caroline finally reached her seat, falling back onto it with a thud. Her legs had been crying to give out the whole way to the plane but Caroline knew she couldn't give in to her body. If the paramedics were called, they'd probably notice some _strange_ things about their patient. No, she had to get to Klaus, she had to warn him. Caroline let her mind drift to Klaus, let herself indulge, just this once, in thoughts of him. She would never understand how someone so dangerous could make her feel safe, like she belonged. She missed him, her pride hated to admit it, but she was looking forward to seeing him- even under the less than pleasant circumstances. With one last painful breath, Caroline let her eyes close.

When the plane landed, Caroline nearly let out a scream as painful tremors shook her small, deceptively delicate frame. She was so close to death, she could taste it. She wasn't even sure how she got off the plane or managed to find a taxi but when she slid into the back seat of the cab, she felt as if she was going to rip her own skin off. Through ground teeth, Caroline told the taxi driver the address. Her distressed tone elicited more than one concerned stare from the taxi driver who couldn't seem to decide if she was trouble or _in trouble_.

By the time they reached the address Matt had given her, Caroline was having a hard time discerning reality from the lazy thoughts floating around in her head. Struggling to see clearly, she noticed a blurry hand waving frantically in her face.

"HEY LADY! WE ARE HERE" The taxi driver yelled in her face.

Caroline grumbled something incoherent, and unceremoniously dragged herself from the taxi, practically falling onto the ground face first.

"Jesus lady..." The taxi driver stared at her for a minute clearly trying to decide whether he could leave now and avoid some serious guilt later.

As Caroline felt another wave of nausea hit her, and hard, she looked up at the taxi driver who was now staring down at her in complete and utter fear. She knew what he had to be looking at, she had been careful to keep her features schooled previously, but she was in so much pain now she couldn't keep a _human_ face any longer and her eyes were probably the darkest shade of black one could imagine.

Before she had time to get another thought out, the taxi driver slammed on the gas and was gone in a flurry of smoke and exhaust. Caroline coughed, inhaling what felt like _all_ of the dust, and pushed herself up on her forearms.

"Alright," Caroline told herself, "you are almost there. Now get the hell UP."

With a moan, Caroline stood on shaky legs, taking staggered steps slowly in the direction of the front door. Inches from knocking on the door, Caroline felt her left lung collapse and she suddenly struggled greedily for air. Knocking frantically on the door, Caroline supported herself against the door frame and wheezed as she tried to slow her breathing to an almost nonexistent pace.

With Klaus's name on her lips, Caroline felt darkness spread across her vision and slumped unceremoniously against the door frame.

**Thanks for taking the time to read my story. The story is rated M because I would like the characters to be realistic- and lets face it- real people curse when they get angry, romance usually involves more than "longing looks" and bad guys do more than scowl. I should have two new chapters up this week and appreciate the support/criticism!  
**

**As a side note, this story is simply inspired by The Vampire Diaries, some things are going to be different/out of TV character/mythology on purpose. Hayley isn't pregnant or around and current time is somewhere before Rebecca and Marcel try to imprison Klaus on The Originals.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

_Three Weeks Ago_

A cool breeze teased her neck as she stared into the empty space in front of her. Taking a slow breath, Caroline leaned forward letting her golden hair cascade around her shoulders, effectively shielding her from the outside world. The damp grass, freshly watered, cooled her legs as she sat reflecting on the six months since she had left Mystic Falls.

She chuckled lightly, thinking about how naïve and excited she had been on her first day of college. When she left Mystic Falls Caroline had been optimistic, to say the least, that things were finally going to be as close to perfect as possible for a seventeen year old vampire. She had seen enough misery and pain in Mystic Falls in the previous two years to last her for the next two hundred. No more evil villains, no more dead bodies, no more hate and anger; this year was going to be perfect.

And it had been perfect, at least for a couple of weeks. Tyler was finally back in Virginia, officially pardoned by Klaus. Her best friend, Bonnie, was back from her recent demise thanks to some seriously powerful dark magic. She had moved into a new house with Elena, registered for classes, and attended _several_ college parties.

"Perfect" had lasted exactly five weeks and six days. Thinking back now, she probably should have seen it coming. She should have seen the warning signs. Tyler was colder towards her, always staring off in another direction. He forgot things she said, missed dates, and changed their plans constantly. The more normal Caroline tried to make their routine, the more volatile he would become. The more she tried to soothe him, the more distant he would become. Caroline quickly found herself making excuses to herself and her friends, rationalizing his behaviors and writing them off as stress.

It was not until he had told her he was going after Klaus that Caroline had realized just how far gone he really was. Caroline felt her gut clench as she remembered the night.

"_Love me more than you hate him," Caroline had pleaded, practically yelling._

"_I can't Care," Tyler had quietly responded._

Months later the words still haunted her, kept her up at night, tossing and turning as she tried to make sense of what had happened. How could someone she thought was the love of her life leave her so easily, without looking back? Why hadn't she been enough to satisfy him? Even Klaus, a man she was pretty sure fantasized constantly about revenge, had been willing to put his feud with Tyler aside to see her happy.

"_I intend to be your last." _Klaus's promise floated through her head.

His words had frightened and calmed her in equal measure. She had been so taken aback by the intensity in his eyes that she had simply stood there, staring up at him. Caroline closed her eyes, listening to his raspy voice in her ear, imagining his gold eyes looking down at her as his hands traveled gently down her waist.

Realizing suddenly where her thoughts had _once again_ led her, she shook her head violently as if to knock the thoughts right out of her head. Caroline let out a loud huff, frustrated at how her thoughts were always wandering to the same topic lately.

"Caroline Forbes," the voice of her best friend, Elena, brought her out of her thoughts. "Are we having a pity party over here?" Elena asked teasingly.

"No pity party, just thinking," Caroline replied sighing as she stood up stretching like a cat.

"Well good because we have a party to attend as _normal, well-adjusted vampires._" Elena did a small curtsy and was practically jumping in excitement.

_Normal, Well-Adjusted, Vampires._

It had been their motto since leaving Mystic Falls and although Caroline was starting to wonder if it was a lesson in futility; she played along for Elena's sake.

"Okay, okay I'm coming." Caroline replied rolling her eyes good-naturedly.

Elena grabbed Caroline's arm and was dragging her off in the direction of the party before she could protest. Caroline had to smile at her friend's enthusiasm, after everything that had happened Elena still seemed hell bent on having a "normal" college experience. Caroline had to chuckle at the idea of _anything_ they did being normal. When blood is your primary source of sustenance, normal kind of goes out the window; besides, her and her friends seemed to attract mayhem like a moth to a flame. They probably had some kind of evil villain locator chip built in, Caroline thought to herself, half in jest, and half actually considering the possibility.

As they rounded the final block to the house, a crow appeared in front of their path, causing them both to stop abruptly.

"Hello ladies," a deep voice, oozing sex and arrogance, came from behind them.

Caroline rolled her eyes turning in the direction of the familiar voice.

"Damon," Caroline stated unenthusiastically.

"Blondie," he quipped with an equal lack of emotion.

"You two are ridiculous," Elena walked up behind Caroline with a look of reproach, snaking her arm behind Damon's back.

His eyes flicked away from Caroline and landed on Elena, instantly sparking with life as he pulled her closer.

"Shall we?" Damon guided the small of Elena's back towards the direction of the front door.

She had to admit, even if he made her skin crawl, he definitely loved Elena. Plus, the relationship had unquestionably brought out a less unpleasant side to the eldest Salvatore brother which benefited everyone in a one hundred mile radius of him.

"Have you heard from Jesse?" Elena asked leaning on Damon as they made their way through the front gate.

"I don't want to talk about it." Caroline replied harsher than she had intended, letting the gate slam behind her.

"Ah Caroline, I think you've been dumped." Damon said with a matter of fact tone as he reached his hand up to knock on the door.

Caroline let out a low impatient growl, frustrated that Damon was probably right. Caroline had started dating Jesse just a couple of months after Tyler had broken up with her. He was sweet, confident, and very human. She thought things had been going well but just two months after they starting dating Jesse had stopped returning her phone calls and was clearly avoiding her.

"How are we going to get in anyway?" Caroline asked, growing more and more frustrated by the minute.

"The owner is going to open the door and let us in." Damon replied, looking at her like she had just grown an extra head.

Just as she was about to point out that _asshole_ was not everyone's cup of tea, a young and very attractive man opened the door.

"Damon!" The man chirped happily. "You guys come in and make yourself at home!"

Damon turned towards her with a wolfish grin on his face as she blew by him, moving quickly into the house.

Caroline made her way towards the kitchen, hoping to find something to distract her from both Damon and the fact that she had been dumped twice in less than six months. Rounding the hallway, she collided with a male body, spilling his drink all over the front of his shirt.

"Oh God I'm so sorry," Caroline stammered, horrified.

Suddenly Caroline wished wholeheartedly that she had the ability to disappear and began to promise various things to various gods if they would just endow her with said power at this exact moment.

"In a hurry?" the stranger asked, quirking his lips ever so slightly.

Caroline looked up from the mess on the floor and took a second to apprise the man she had nearly knocked on his ass. He was tall and muscular with loose dark locks piled haphazardly above his head. He was definitely attractive but something about his expressions struck Caroline as familiar.

_They were sitting on a bench outside The Grill late one night. It was cold and Caroline pulled her jacket tighter around her body, struggling to stay calm and actually focus on what Klaus was saying. _

_He smirked, moving in closer to Caroline, inches away from her face._

"_I dare you" Klaus finished his thought, his eyes sparkling with heat and challenge as a slow smile picked up the corner of his lips imperceptibly. _

"I asked if you were in a hurry." The man said again, tapping Caroline on her shoulder, effectively bringing her out of her memory.

Carolina snapped her foot in frustration, letting out a wild growl. This was ridiculous, she was not about to run away and fall in love with Klaus but yet here she was unable to concentrate on anything this very attractive, very _not_ evil man was saying.

"Bastard" she muttered under her lips, cursing Klaus for continuing to torment her from a thousand miles away.

"Um…What?" the man asked as he snapped his head to the side, clearly trying to decide what to make of her outburst.

Caroline did her best to feign innocence but before she could think of an excuse, the stranger was gone.

"Great." Caroline huffed.

Five beers, four tequila shots, and three hours later, Caroline was walking down the quiet suburban street to her house. Elena had decided to stay with Damon for the night so Caroline had opted to take the long way home and walk off the effects of the last couple of hours. Caroline began to rub her arms absent-mindedly, trying to warm herself as she walked. It wasn't a particularly cold night but she hadn't dressed for a nighttime stroll. Chastising herself for not being better prepared, Caroline took the final right before she reached her street.

Feeling a strange sensation that she was being watched, Caroline picked up her pace, taking in her surroundings with a few quick glances, listening intently for any sound or movement. She knew it was silly to be so jumpy, especially when you were one of the monsters that kids hid under the bed from, but she was still only a young vampire and there were far more dangerous monsters out there than her, she knew that from experience.

"Relax," she told herself through gritted teeth as another wave of uneasiness rushed through her body. "You. Are. Fine." She told herself, enunciating each word. Looking up she noticed that her house was now well within eyesight just as Caroline began to hear footsteps fall in line behind her. Determined to stay calm, Caroline increased her pace ever so slightly and tried to find her house key in her pocket. Got it, she thought as the small metal object fell into place in her hand. Mentally preparing herself for anything, Caroline took off at a full sprint towards her house, key out. Rounding the corner to the front stairs, she froze halfway up the staircase when she realized her front door was open. Summoning all her courage Caroline spun violently in the direction of the pounding footsteps.

Nothing was there. An owl hooted in the distance and somewhere far away Caroline heard a car start but the street was completely empty.

Turning back towards the front door, Caroline felt her legs turn to dead weight as she tried to move towards the door. Something wasn't right; no something was very wrong, Caroline thought as she moved shakily towards the open door. And that's when the smell hit her; the pungent odor of death hung in the air and nearly knocked her over as she walked across the threshold of her house.

A small gasp of air escaped Caroline's lungs as she saw what was waiting just beyond the entryway. Everything around Caroline seemed to come to a grinding and painful stop as she saw Jesse's lifeless body sprawled haphazardly across her wooden floor. A loud ringing filled her ears as she stumbled towards his body, trying to remember how to move her legs. Every muscle in her body seemed to rebel against her as she tried to move closer. Finally, Caroline collapsed and crawled the last few feet to his side.

"Who…but why" Caroline struggled to get her thoughts in order. She didn't understand, she couldn't understand. Jesse was a human; he hadn't even known about the supernatural _Other_ that mingled in the human world. He was completely normal, no enemies, not so much as a sour acquaintance. Why would someone do this and then leave him on her door?

Then the realization hit her. This wasn't about Jesse, this was about her. Horror filled her eyes as guilt rose up swiftly in her throat, mingling with pain at the loss. Caroline collapsed next to his lifeless body, letting sobs rack her small frame. _Why. _The question kept repeating itself over and over in her head, getting louder and louder as she struggled to understand. She didn't have any enemies, well at least not any enemies that were still around.

Lifting her tear soaked lashes; Caroline forced herself to look at his face as she shakily brought her hand to hover over his chest. She couldn't bring herself to touch his pale body though, as if touching it would make this anymore real than it already was. Something long and lighter than the rest of his body caught her attention though. Shifting closer, Caroline noticed a large wound across the side of his neck opposite her. It was a huge gash, jagged and angry, wrapping around the back of his head. No blood drained from the wound, it looked as if he had been drained dry. Caroline took a deep breath as she realized what the wound was from. A hybrid.

**Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it and hope y'all like things so far. **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Caroline felt the harsh sting of the hot water hitting her shoulders, trying to burn away the memories of the past few days. It had been six days since Jesse's funeral but the memory was still fresh in her mind. The way his mother had stared at the coffin, her eyes glazed over with tears. The way the trees swayed violently overhead, the way the freshly dug earth felt in her fingers, and the way she felt when they placed his coffin in the ground.

_She should have protected him_. The words are on repeat in her head. _She should have known he didn't just disappear, that something was wrong._ How could she have been so stupid, he was dead because of her. Angrily, Caroline slammed the palm of her hand against the wet tile, creating a loud smack followed by a much louder crashing noise.

"What the…" Caroline began, confused as she pulled the shower curtain back, wrapping it awkwardly around her body.

Caroline gasped as she took in the broken mirror before her. How in the hell had that happened, Caroline muttered to herself as she reached, without looking, for her towel.

Stepping out of the shower, Caroline approached the mirror cautiously; as if in any second some huge creature might come hurdling out of it towards her. Reaching a shaky hand towards the mirror, Caroline ran her fingers over the shattered glass, cutting her thumb on a rough edge.

"Shit," Caroline quickly brought her finger back, staring at the red liquid now dripping down her hand.

Looking back up at the mirror, Caroline nearly fell backwards with the weight of the shock as she realized the mirror was no longer broken. Glancing back down at her now rapidly healing finger, Caroline hysterically began searching the mirror for any signs of its previous state.

"Holy shit," Caroline whispered dragging her shaking hands down the sides of her face as she backed slowly away from the mirror.

"And now I'm going crazy," Caroline muttered to herself as she pulled the towel tighter around her body as she slid down onto the ground. She had not left the house in three days and clearly, it was taking its toll on her. That had to be it; she was simply spending too much time by herself.

Letting reason calm her racing mind, Caroline began to slow her rapid and short breaths to a more even pace. Lurching awkwardly forward onto her legs, she walked out of the bathroom. With her hair still damp, Caroline threw on an old t-shirt and crawled into bed.

Collapsing with a loud sigh, Caroline felt the heavy weight of sleep pull her mind into a thick fog and, within seconds, found she was drifting off to sleep.

_She was standing in the woods, a narrow path illuminated in front of her by the moonlight. Instinctively, Caroline felt her legs begin to move towards the path, picking up speed with each step. Fear overwhelmed her as she stumbled over vines and roots, cutting her legs on the branches as she ran. _

_ Suddenly a high pitched howl broke through the trees, causing Caroline to stop abruptly. The force of her sudden stop sent her careening forward into the dirt, sharp vines cutting into her hands. The hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up as goose bumps crawled down her arms. She felt her mind trying to turn her around but her body wouldn't listen. Focusing harder, Caroline tried to turn around as her vision blurred with the effort, digging her nails into the dirt for traction. She could just barely make out an arm, stretched in her direction._

_ Without warning, her head spun violently around, her vision landing on a figure lying in the grass. Crawling towards the body, a heavy weight seemed to settle on Caroline's shoulders as she fought desperately to get towards the figure. _

_Finally inches away, Caroline felt a sharp intake of air inflate her lungs as her vision focused on the body in front of her. _

"_Mom?" Caroline asked, fear creating an unnatural edge to her voice._

_Her mother's bright blue eyes were staring back up at her, lifeless and dull. A large wound wrapped around her neck, blood dripping onto the grass. Caroline began to shake as she reached her hand towards her mother. _

_With her hand inches away from her face, Caroline's mother's neck snapped violently causing her mother's eyes to look directly at her._

"_Mom?" Caroline asked, her voice quivering as tears flowed down her cheeks._

"_RUN!" Caroline's mother yelled as a deafening howl filled her ears._

"Mom!" Caroline screamed as she shot up violently in her bed, the quilt tangled around her legs. Caroline felt tears begin to fall as she struggled to breathe. Still gasping for air, Caroline kicked the quilt off of her legs and pulled her knees in sharply to her chest. Rocking back and forth, Caroline tried to calm her nerves, assuring herself that it had only been a dream.

Glancing down at her hands wrapped tightly around her knees, Caroline felt all the color drain from her face.

Caked in her nails, was fresh dirt.

Jerking her hands closer to her face, Caroline began to frantically pick the dirt out of her nails. This was impossible; it had only been a dream. With her nails still bleeding from the violent effort, Caroline froze as she took in the rest of her appearance.

Her shirt was torn open and a mixture of blood and dirt covered her legs, some of the larger wounds still healing.

Caroline felt adrenaline pump through her body as she struggled to comprehend what was going on. If she was really covered in blood and dirt, then…

Suddenly, the implications of her current state became clear.

"Mom" Caroline said in a soft whisper, flinging her body quickly from the bed as she raced across the room towards her cell phone.

Fear and dread overwhelmed her as she picked up her cell phone off the dresser. The phone vibrated in her hand as she struggled to type in her mother's phone number. Dropping the phone, Caroline slammed her firsts down onto her dresser, sending splinters of wood flying in all directions.

"DAMN IT!" Caroline screamed, dropping onto her knees to pick up the cell-phone. Taking a deep breath, Caroline finally managed to dial her mother's phone number.

Caroline began to pace along the length of her bedroom as the phone continued to ring. Hearing her mom finally pick up the phone, Caroline stumbled forward slightly, stubbing her toe on the ground.

"Caroline, what's wrong?" Carol asked with concern evident in her voice at the late night call.

Caroline felt a weight lifted off her shoulders, as she collapsed onto the carpet, ignoring the throb of her toe. It was only a dream, her mother was okay.

"Sorry, Mom I just had a –"

Caroline was cut off by a loud crash on the other end of the phone line.

"Mom?" Caroline asked quietly, scared she wouldn't respond.

No response.

"Mom?" Caroline asked louder, her voice taking on a higher pitch.

"Mo-!" Caroline screamed, already running down the stairs towards the front door.

A familiar howl crackled on the other end of the phone, drowning out Caroline's scream.

"No." Caroline breathed, dropping her phone as she took off at an unnatural pace towards Mystic Falls.

**Thanks for reading again guys, the next chapter is the last one before we catch back up with the timeline I started in Chapter 1. I should have it up in a day or two. I felt like this one was a little short but necessary for the future plot - answers, some serious ass-kicking, and Klaus are all coming!**

Also, I haven't mentioned it yet but I definitely do not own TVD. The idea is so absurd it slipped my mind, I'm fairly confident they make a lot for money than me.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Caroline felt a chill run up her spine as she stood on shaking legs, staring past her mother's coffin to the trees on the horizon. Her stomach clenched painfully as she thought of her mother's vacant eyes looking up at her, blood dripping on to the grass. Matt, Elena, Bonnie, Stefan and Damon stood quietly behind her as she took a tentative step towards her mother's casket. Looking down at it for the first time, Caroline was overcome with grief. Letting out a strangled sob, Caroline fell forward on to the ground in front of her mother's casket.

"I'm so sorry Mom," Caroline whispered in-between her muffled cries.

The guilt of Jesse and her mother's deaths had become overwhelming, clear by her skin's unnatural pallor and shaken apperance. Despite her friends' best efforts she hadn't _fed _since her mother's death. They had each taken turns babysitting her, trying various methods to get her to take even a sip of blood; but she never took it. In truth, she did not want the relief the blood would bring. She was enjoying the small distraction from her grief that her hunger brought. She knew she would have to eat eventually to stay alive, but she was not in a hurry to let go of her coping mechanism.

"Caroline," Elena began in a quiet voice, rubbing Caroline's arms soothingly as she bent down next to her.

"It's going to start to rain soon, we should get you inside." Stefan finished for Elena, coming to kneel on her opposite side.

Caroline knew she needed to respond but she just kept sitting there, staring at her mother's casket. She couldn't help but feel that when she walked away, it would all become real. Her mother would really be gone and she would be all alone in the world.

"Caroline," Stefan tried again, gently turning Caroline around.

Forcing herself to look into Stefan's eyes, Caroline felt a spike of anger at the intensity of Stefan's concern. She didn't deserve their pity, this was her fault.

"Can I just be alone with her for a little while?" Caroline asked softly, looking up at the rest of her friends. She appreciated all they were doing for her, but she wanted to be alone.

Bonnie was leaning on Matt, who was whispering something in her ear, holding her closely. Matt gave Caroline a knowing look and turned towards the parking lot, gently guiding Bonnie away. Elena looked conflicted but after a couple of minutes, just nodded and turned to walk back towards Damon. Damon was standing apart from the group, his posture tense. He looked just as exhausted as Caroline felt. His mouth was set in a grim line and his jaw clenched. Damon had always been close to her mother and she knew that this was particularly hard for him. He had taken care of everything after he found out, from the cover story to the funeral arrangements. Her feelings for Damon aside, she was truly grateful for what he had done for her over the last week.

"Alright, we will be waiting in the car." Stefan said, giving Caroline a small kiss on the forehead as he turned to follow Damon and Elena.

Turning back towards her mother's coffin, Caroline leaned forward, resting her head on the cool wood. Rain drops began falling gently as she ran her hand back and forth along the coffin's frame.

"I'll make this right Mom, I'll fix this." Caroline promised, closing her eyes.

Hearing a loud crack of thunder, Caroline looked up to see dark clouds beginning to form overhead. With a loud sigh, Caroline leaned forward and kissed her mother's coffin before turning to walk away.

After her mother's funeral, Elena had insisted that they _all_ eat something, even if it was only human food. Caroline had acquiesced because she knew it was important for Elena to feel like she was helping, even if it was something trivial. Despite Caroline's grief, she cared about her friends and was starting to feel guilty about the attention that they were giving her. She did not think she deserved their pity but she was self-aware enough to know that she would do the same thing if the situation was reversed.

So now here they were, sitting around a large oak table in the Salvatore mansion, awkwardly waiting while Elena prepared something in the kitchen. Caroline looked around the table at her friends. Damon had his feet up on the table and was staring at the ceiling, a glass of bourbon gripped loosely in his left hand. Matt was staring at Bonnie, a strange expression on her face, and Stefan was sitting quietly at the head of the table deep in thought. She knew Stefan and Damon were trying to figure out who was behind the murders, but they had some sort of unspoken agreement not to discuss it in front of her. Whenever they were in the same room with her, they avoided the topic. It was frustrating but she knew they meant well. At the end of the day, she was grateful to have a group of friends who cared enough to worry about upsetting her.

"Have you heard from Tyler?" Caroline blurted out. She and Tyler had broken up on bad terms but it still hurt to think that Tyler wouldn't come to her mother's funeral. At the very least, she had expected a phone call. She hadn't heard from him since they broke up but she knew Matt kept in touch with him through letters and the occasional phone call.

"I finally got a hold of him a few minutes ago." Matt said, turning reluctantly from Bonnie.

"He is sorry Care, he says he loves you and will come as soon as he can."

Caroline let the information digest for a second before pushing her chair back from the table.

"I'm going to go check on Elena."

Entering the kitchen, Caroline found Elena standing over a large pot, throwing various spices from an open cabinet into it. Elena turned and offered Caroline a genuine smile, clearly happy to see her moving around. Opening the fridge, Elena pulled out several carrots.

"For vampires, they sure do have a lot of food lying around" Elena commented as she turned back towards the large pot.

Caroline couldn't help but laugh at the idea of Damon or Stefan in the kitchen.

"Need any help?" Caroline asked, moving closer to Elena.

"If you want but you don't have to, it's just spaghetti."

Grabbing a spoon, Elena offered Caroline a small amount of the mixture.

"See if it's okay?" Elena asked.

Reaching forward, Caroline took the spoon and was about to bring it to her mouth when she froze as a memory began to form in her mind. Her mother had never been home much when she was growing up but every so often, Caroline would come home to find her mom in the kitchen. She was a notoriously awful cook, but she made one thing well: spaghetti. Her mom had always just laughed when they teased her about it and called it "idiot-proof". In reality, Caroline had never really cared if the food was any good; it was just nice to have her mom home once in a while. Thinking back on the memory now, Caroline felt tears begin to form as she set the spoon down. Everything seemed to remind Caroline of her mom and it was painful to know that all she had left now were memories.

"Caroline?" Elena asked, rushing over to her side.

This should never have happened, Caroline thought, pain quickly melding with rage. Her skin seemed to burn as she grew angrier and angrier. Someone was taking everything away from her and she could not do a damn thing about it. She had not been able to save Jesse or her mother. Self-deprecating thoughts began to race through her head, and feeling the full weight of her inadequacy, Caroline slumped forward over the counter.

"Caroline?" Bonnie asked, voice laced with concern as she walked into the kitchen followed by the others.

Caroline was vaguely aware of someone moving towards her but all she could focus on was the rage. It was crushing and all-encompassing. The glass cabinets began to shake, first slowly and then forcefully, sending glasses and dishes shattering on to the wooden floor. She knew she needed to calm down, that she should be frightened, but all she could focus on was her anger.

"Caroline!" Stefan shouted, grabbing her shoulders forcefully.

Caroline was indistinctly aware of being shaken back and forth but she couldn't stop. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Damon pull Elena closer in a protective stance.

"What's happening?" Elena screamed.

"I don't know." Bonnie responded.

"Do something!" Matt yelled.

Caroline saw a quick blur out the corner of her eye as the room began to spin, her vision becoming distorted as glass continued to shatter all around her. Caroline had the vague impression someone was calling her name but before she could respond, her neck snapped violently and everything went black.

_ Caroline slowly opened her eyes, a bright light painfully obscuring her vision. She blinked a few times, trying to focus more clearly. Her head throbbed painfully and Caroline rolled over on to her forearms trying to find her balance. Looking down, Caroline noticed she was leaning on grass._

_ Caroline crawled backwards, panic building rapidly as she took in her surroundings. She had been here before; these were the woods from her dream. Overcome with panic and dread, Caroline bolted upright and began to run as fast as she could. _

_ She only made it a few feet though before her legs became unnaturally heavy. She began to slow down until she was hardly moving at all. Her body shook with effort as she tried to force it forward. Throwing her hands up in defeat, Caroline turned back around. Taking a step back the way she came, Caroline tripped over a large root. Falling forwards, Caroline felt a painful burn as her hands made contact with asphalt, taking a layer of skin off each. _

_ Caroline snapped her head up, taking in her new surroundings. She was on a dark street, the ground damp from a recent rain. Standing up, Caroline noticed a large full moon overhead. She felt an involuntary shudder rack her body as she realized where she was. _

_ 'New Orleans' Caroline mouthed moving backwards. _

_ Just as she was about to run, Caroline heard a familiar and frightening growl from behind her. Turning around, Caroline felt her body freeze with fear. _

_ A large black wolf was standing in the street, its eyes dark red, with blood dripping from its mouth. Black fur stuck out in all directions as it let out another low menacing growl. It began to move forward, back legs tensed, ready to pounce at any movement. _

_ As the large wolf moved closer, Caroline noticed a trail of blood behind it. Keeping an eye on the wolf's slow advance, Caroline followed the trail of blood to a body lying on the street. Caroline began to shake as realization flooded over her. Familiar gold eyes were staring back up at her, lifeless. His hand was stretched towards her at an unnatural angle, fear on his face. Caroline's heart clenched painfully and her adrenaline levels surged. Forgetting about the wolf, Caroline moved forward towards Klaus. _

_ The wolf let out a dangerous snarl, provoked by her movement. Realizing her mistake, Caroline prepared herself for the attack as the wolf launched forward, all four legs leaving the ground. Caroline tried to move out-of-the-way but the wolf was faster. Its teeth grazed her shoulder, piercing painfully into her skin. Falling to her knees, Caroline put pressure on the wound as blood poured out on to the ground._

_ "Caroline?" _

_Caroline heard a familiar voice calling her. _

_ The wolf picked its head up at the noise, looking for the source._

_ "Caroline?" The voice called again, this time more panicked. _

_ The wolf looked agitated and snarled before springing forward towards her._

"Caroline!" Elena screamed, shaking Caroline more forcefully this time.

Caroline awoke with a start, falling off the couch onto the floor. Disoriented, Caroline held her breath as she lay on the ground. Just seconds ago she was surely about to die. 'What the hell?' Caroline thought, slowly scanning the room for any sign of a threat.

"Jesus are you okay?" Matt asked from behind her, leaning forward to help Caroline off the floor.

"I'm fine," Caroline said as she let Matt help her up off the floor. She offered Matt an appreciative smile and took a small step away from him. She was relieved to be back in reality but she needed to get out of here; she had to figure out what was going on. Grabbing her jacket off the couch, Caroline walked towards the door. She was not sure why she had not told her friends about the dreams, but something told her to keep her mouth shut. So instead, she lied.

"I need to go to the bathroom," Caroline said, trying to keep a natural pitch to her voice.

Reaching the bathroom, Caroline opened the door quickly and locked herself inside, dropping her jacket on the ground as she moved hurriedly to the mirror. Looking up, Caroline took in her exhausted appearance. Dark circles were under her eyes, her lips pale, and her hair looked wild and unkempt. Given the lack of sustenance she had over the last few days, her appearance seemed normal enough. Whatever was happening to her clearly had not caused her to sprout wings or grow horns.

Caroline took a steadying breath, trying to focus her thoughts on the details of the dream. She sucked in a sharp breath as she thought about the look of fear on Klaus' face.

'What could scare the oldest vampire in the world?' Caroline wondered as she shut her eyes and tried to remember the rest of the dream. Rubbing her hands over her temples, Caroline focused on the dark street from her dream.

"Full moon," Caroline said aloud, opening her eyes.

Trying to remember anything from science class, Caroline began to count the days until the full moon.

'Okay, there was a new moon yesterday…'

"Shit." Caroline slammed her fist down on the counter realizing that she had less than two weeks to figure out what was going on. A sharp pain shot up her arm as her fist made contact, sending her to her knees. She had forgotten about the bite. With shaky hands, Caroline slowly moved towards the zipper on her dress. Pulling the corner of her dress down, Caroline flew back into the wall, creating a loud thud.

Two long, angry gashes ran across the length of her shoulder.

"Klaus"

The words were ripped painfully from her. If she had been bitten, then that meant that Klaus was in danger. The thought of anything happening to the original hybrid seemed both impossible and devastating. She could not forget all the awful things he had done in a thousand years, but she also could not pretend she did not care what happened to him. She had lost enough people in just a couple of weeks; she was not willing to lose _anyone_ else.

Turning towards the door, Caroline grabbed her jacket and put it on, being as gentle as possible with her shoulder. She needed to figure out what to do and fast.

_The next day:_

Caroline stood staring out of the window, watching the rain pelt the window relentlessly. It had not stopped raining since her mother's funeral. Leaning against its frame, she ran her hand over the cool glass, watching the trees sway violently in the field behind the house. She took a deep breath, feeling the slow burn of the wolf venom in her veins, the painful edge becoming more and more prominent with each minute. The effects of the bite were progressing, the corners of her vision starting to blur. Despite the pain, the effect was slower than it had been in the past and Caroline had been through worse. Perhaps she was building up a resistance, or maybe whatever was happening to her was slowing down the effects. Either way, she was grateful for the extended timeline.

Since the dream, Caroline had considered her options very carefully. If she left Mystic Falls, there was a small but real chance she would be putting her friends in danger. If she stayed in Mystic Falls, the effects of the bite would continue to progress and Klaus would be in danger, thus condemning the lives of thousands of other vampires and maybe even herself to death. She had thought about calling him and warning him, but a thousand years had made Klaus confident and untrusting and she couldn't risk his disbelief. Plus, she felt a gnawing need to see him in person. She didn't know exactly why, but she felt that she_ had_ to see him. After hours of going over every scenario in her head, it made the most since for her to leave. She would most likely be taking any threat with her. As much as she hated it, her gut reaction was right; she needed to keep her friends in the dark for their own safety.

Thinking of the danger her friends could be in, Caroline's hands began to shake with rage, her fingers tightening against the window frame. She was tired of playing nice, she was tired of being a victim, and she was sure as hell tired of waiting around for something else to happen. Somebody was taking everything from her, and she was not going to let them take anything else.

_Anyone else._ Caroline thought as she shuddered involuntarily.

"Caroline?" Elena asked tentatively.

Caroline snapped out of her thoughts, turning to see Elena and Bonnie slowly entering the room, as if unsure of what to do. She had been so consumed in her thoughts she had not heard them come in. Caroline gave them a weak smile, feeling guilty that they looked so anxious.

Bonnie and Elena seemed to relax as they returned the smile and walked over to her to embrace her in a hug. Caroline let herself be comforted by her two best friends and for several minutes the three of them just stood there leaning on each other.

Elena pulled back to look Caroline in the eyes. "We will get you through this Caroline, I promise. Stefan and Damon will figure out who is behind this."

"Whatever you need Caroline," Bonnie affirmed, nodding her head.

"I'm going to New Orleans to find Klaus." Caroline said, waiting for their reactions. Partial honesty was probably the smartest course of action. She could not risk any of them coming after her and putting their lives at risk. She doubted that Damon would stop looking for her mother's murderer but she had to try to protect them. If she left Mystic Falls, she would most likely bring the threat with her.

At the mention of Klaus' name, Elena tensed but after a few seconds simply nodded, understanding. Caroline was clearly in pain. Elena remembered losing her own parents and while she appreciated her friends support, sometimes she had just needed to get away. Besides, even though she hated Klaus for destroying her family, she knew he would keep Caroline safer than any of them could.

Bonnie seemed to reach the same conclusion and let out a resigned sigh, touching Caroline's arm in support.

"Call us if you need ANYTHING, or if ANYTHING happens, promise." Elena said.

Caroline nodded, pulling her two best friends into one last hug.

"I promise." Caroline finished, not entirely sure if she could keep that promise. "But you guys need to be careful, this person is still out there which makes all of you vulnerable."

Caroline gave each of her friends a pointed look.

"Don't worry Blondie," came Damon's voice from the doorway.

"Everyone is staying here at the boarding house for the time being" Stefan finished Damon's thought, stepping out from behind his brother.

"Yes the buddy system!" Damon emphasized the word buddy.

"Come on, we will take you to the airport." Stefan motioned for Caroline to hurry up.

Smiling, Caroline hurried to grab her things. Her heart warmed at her friends' support. She felt confident she had made the right decision in keeping them in the dark. They were too important to her, she simply could not risk it.

**Sorry it took longer than I expected to be happy with this chapter. Again, I do not own The Vampire Diaries but the rest of my words and thoughts are my own! I really appreciate y'all continuing to read and follow the story, hope it does not disappoint. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry it took a little while to get up, I was out of town on work. Hope you guys like it! **

Chapter 5:

_Present day_

Caroline awoke slowly, her eyelids fluttering open reluctantly as they tried to adjust to the harsh light. Caroline let out a small groan as she shifted uncomfortably on the couch. Her skin felt like it was on fire, like every pain receptor in her body was in overdrive. Her mind focused slowly, trying to comprehend its current state.

A soft, humid breeze blew across her cheek, causing Caroline to freeze. She slowed her breathing to an almost non-existent pace as she carefully looked around the room. 'Where am I?' Caroline thought, not recognizing the room.

A large window was open across from her, sheer drapes bellowing softly with the breeze. A Magnolia tree was visible just beyond the window, its flowers in full bloom. The room was nearly quiet except for the low, rhythmic howl of the wind.

Closing her eyes forcefully, Caroline swallowed down a powerful surge of panic. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to recall something, _anything _that would tell her where she was. A small detail began to form in her mind: a full moon.

_Bite._

Caroline's eyes flew open as the details of her dream materialized in her mind. Moving the edge of her dress down, Caroline frantically searched for any sign of the wound. It was gone.

'_Klaus_,' Caroline thought, her memories becoming more and more focused as adrenaline pumped through her body. Caroline began to look around the room with more purpose. Sitting in a parlor chair across from her was Klaus.

He was slumped over, his chest rising and falling slowly. He looked more tired than Caroline ever remembered him. There were dark circles under his eyes and his skin looked paler. His mouth was set in a grim line, worry etched across his features. Caroline felt her heart flutter as she looked at him. He seemed so gentle in his sleep. It was almost easy to forget just how dangerous he really was…a_lmost._

Caroline shuddered as she considered all the awful things Klaus had done over the years. She had hated him so much when he first came to Mystic Falls. She could still remember the look in his eye when she had first met him. He had been wild and angry, so full of rage. She had slowly started to see him change though. Each day it became more and more difficult to keep things black and white, to maintain that he was _only_ a monster. She had latched on to her hate, trying to keep her growing attraction to him at bay.

She knew something had changed the moment she saw Klaus lying dead in her dream though. She couldn't pretend she didn't care about him anymore. She didn't want to lose him. He meant _something_ to her, even if she didn't understand yet exactly what it was. She wasn't naïve. She knew he would continue to do bad things, lash out at those that were closest to him. She understood though, that fear and hurt were driving him. She couldn't help but think that if someone took the time to ease the pain, he would become a little less of a monster.

Caroline stood on shaking legs, trying to ignore the burning sensation coursing through her body. The bite had healed. She should feel better by now. Something was definitely happening to her; she was changing and couldn't ignore it anymore. She was scared and felt so powerless and alone. If this _wolf_ could get to her in hers dreams, she could only imagine what else it would be capable of. She had never heard of someone getting bitten in a dream. Hopefully, Klaus or the other Originals would know something.

Klaus' eyes snapped open, his gaze instantly zeroing in on her. He had a predatory and wild look in his eye, like he was prepared to attack at any moment. Caroline shivered under his gaze, trying to ignore the fear that was slowly creeping up her spine. Determined to not let him affect her, Caroline moved closer to Klaus.

Klaus' gaze softened as he watched her struggle to move closer to him. She still looked so pale and exhausted, so different from the Caroline he remembered. Her eyes had a darkness he didn't remember seeing before, she looked _haunted._

Caroline stopped inches away from Klaus, carefully watching him.

"Don't over think this." She warned. Her voice was less stern than she had intended it to be and the words came out barely above a whisper.

She sat down on his lap and for a moment, just looked at him. She needed to feel close to someone. Taking a long sigh, Caroline curled into his body, enjoying the warmth radiating from him. Klaus tensed as she leaned into him but after a minute relaxed and pulled her in tighter.

"I'm sorry love" Klaus whispered into her ear.

Caroline nodded as she felt a tear begin to fall down her face. She knew he would have found out by now what happened to Jesse and her mom. She hoped he wouldn't push the subject though; she wasn't ready to talk about it. Every time she did it became a little more real; it meant that she was _responsible_ for Jesse and her mother's death. She was barely keeping the guilt at bay as it was.

They sat like that in silence for a few minutes before Klaus shifted her so that he could look into her eyes.

"What happened?" Klaus asked, his voice a thin façade of control. His eyes looked worried but Caroline could see the powerful anger lurking beneath the surface.

"I'm…not sure." Caroline began, unsure of where to start.

"You have been out for nearly a week!" Klaus snapped, his control slipping away.

Caroline tensed, considering the information. If she had been out a full week, that meant they had less than a week to figure out what was going on. She had less than a week to save Klaus, herself, and who knows how many vampires. He had been alive a_ 1,000 years_. There would have to be thousands of vampires in his bloodline.

"Caroline?" Klaus growled. He slammed his hand down on the arm of the chair causing the wood to crack.

Caroline jumped at his voice. He was so angry and for a minute she was afraid of him. Watching him closely for a minute, understanding dawned on her. He was scared. She knew he loved her and he had watched her for a week, probably wondering if she would _ever_ wake up. Klaus' life was built upon being in control, always having the upper hand. And for a week, he had lost his control. She had made him _fear._

Swallowing thickly, Caroline moved her hand to his cheek. His gaze softened slightly as she felt tears begin to fall down her face.

"There was a dream." Caroline whispered.

"I was in the woods, my mom…" Caroline tried to several times to finish the sentence but couldn't. The tears began to fall steadily as she tried to find strength. She had been relatively okay in Mystic Falls, but now, she felt her control splintering.

"Shhh…" Klaus pulled her closer, rubbing his hands gently through her hair.

"I've got you love," He hummed in her ear, his voice melodic. She leaned in closer to him, perplexed by the fact that Klaus' voice, of all people, was calming her down.

"Tell me about the dreams?"

Swallowing back her grief, Caroline told him about the events that had brought her to New Orleans. She told him about her mom, about the wolf, about _him, _about the deadline_._ He was deathly quiet while she told the story. She wouldn't have even known he was listening if his jaw didn't clench at certain details.

Pulling back from him. Caroline looked at him with a renewed sense of anger and purpose. "I'm not going to let him take anyone else I care about away from me."

"No one will hurt me." Klaus said reassuringly.

"And no one will ever hurt you again." He added. His voice had a feral, determined edge.

"...That's not all…" Caroline looked down at her hands worriedly. What if he thought she was crazy?

"What else?" Klaus asked, shifting slightly. He could tell she was hesitant to speak.

"Something is happening to me…" Caroline began. She watched him carefully as she told him about the bizarre changes she was experiencing since Jesse's death. His demeanor remained calm but Caroline noticed a small widening of his eyes when she mentioned the incident in the kitchen at the Salvatore Mansion. If she had been human, she probably would have missed his reaction. She had a feeling he either knew what was going on or had no idea and was worried. Either way, based on his quiet demeanor, it didn't look like he was going to share yet.

Instead Klaus rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a second before standing up, helping Caroline off his lap. She wanted to shake him. How could he be so calm right now? She had just told him that he was going to die. He supported her gently as he guided her back over to the couch.

"Klaus?" Caroline searched his eyes for some sort of a clue. "What do we do?"

"_We_ don't do anything." His voice was stern.

"You need to get some more rest. Your body is still healing. We have time to figure it out."

Caroline felt her jaw drop. Was he crazy? There wasn't time to rest. They didn't have _time. T_hey had less than a week! Who knew what else cou…

"I have a few errands to take care of in town; I'll be back later love. Get some rest."

Caroline froze as his words caused her to stop mid-thought. He was lying, Caroline was sure of it. Whatever was going on, he didn't want her to know yet. She almost opened her mouth to call him on his bluff, but shut it quickly. He was just as stubborn as she was. If she called him on it, he would probably find a way to trap her in the house just to keep her from following him.

Lying back down on the couch, Caroline gave him a small smile. Klaus returned the smile before turning on his heel to leave the room. She didn't miss the tension in his shoulders as he left the room. He was barely holding it together. Whatever was happening, it was big. Caroline waited to hear the front door shut and his car start before jumping off the couch. Grabbing her discarded jacket, she walked over to the window to make sure he had left. His car was pulling out of the driveway, a dust cloud in its wake. Moving quickly, Caroline took after him, careful to keep to the shadows.

Klaus vibrated with rage as he sped off in the direction of the quarter. Letting out a feral growl, Klaus slammed his fist into the center console, nearly tearing a hole through the car. _Fools_. He had barely been able to remain calm when Caroline told him about her dreams. The _stupidity, _to wake a 2,000 fucking year old demon. They probably thought they could control him. They had no idea how wrong they were; what hell they were unleashing on earth. The world was going to burn and he didn't know if anyone could stop it.

**There it is! Hope you guys like where it is going, If you are confused about where the line between wolf/hyrbid/demon is, wait for the next chapter: it explains a lot about this guy. I'm really excited about some ideas for the next few chapters, if you guys are interested I'm more than happy to keep going with it (even if its just one or two readers- I hate when people stop writing stories I'm in to!). I appreciate the reviews/follows/likes and just plain reads. **


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